Page 82 of Darkness I Become
“Is there anything else you can tell us about them?” Leo pressed Asha again, not for the first time.
“No,” Asha replied, frustrated. “I wasn’t exactly taking down their names, okay? I was busy running for my fucking life. I don’t know what they could’ve wanted from Angel.”
Cade wouldn’t stop pacing like an angry tiger. It was driving her crazy.
The Blackguard had sustained few injuries in the coup and no deaths, thanks to the element of surprise. Months of planning had made the operation a complete success; Angel’s reign was over. It should’ve been a moment of celebration. Instead, it felt like they’d suffered a brutal defeat.
“It’s nothing good,” Cade said, clipped. “If they have control of the compound, they have access to advanced weapons and tech. Vehicles. Guns. Explosives. You name it.”
Even though she already knew, Asha’s heart sunk at his words.
“So, what do we do, Captain?” Davy asked, his deep skin marred by dried blood.
Cade pinched the bridge of his nose and took a moment before answering.
“Nothing we can do except be ready,” he said at last. “First light, everyone here should go out into our territory and tell people to prepare for an assault. Send messengers to the Settlements with the same warning. We don’t know where they might hit. In the meantime, if anyone sees anything likethis—” he held up the mask with the gold eye, “you report to me immediately.”
There was a general murmur of assent for this plan.
“For now,” Cade continued, tossing the mask back on the table, “those of you on guard duty, report to your posts. The rest of you, go to bed. You were all incredible tonight, and you deserve rest. Goodnight.”
With that, Cade took Asha by the hand and led her back to their house, where he fucked her against the wall, hard and fast and silent except for their animalistic grunts. Both of them were still sweaty, bloody, and mostly clothed, but it felt like a necessity.
Like it might be their last time.
Two days later, at the crack of dawn, a military truck drove into Guardian territory and stopped at the Nest gate. A guard ran to get Cade, who was still at home with Asha.
The last couple of days had been a blur. They’d established Cade’s new authority as leader, and though not everyone had been happy about it, they had enough support for the naysayers to accept it. But Asha had seen Lana crying, and she refused to talk to her. Being the gang leader’s favourite and then having that leader dethroned introduced instability that Lana was struggling with. Asha’s guilt was never going to go away; she was sure of that now.
“They say they just wanna talk,” the guard said, with no small amount of confusion. “I told them you’d meet them in Angel’s Wing.”
Cade nodded, and Asha hovered nervously as they got ready to leave.
“It’ll be okay,” he whispered to her, then kissed her forehead. “Whatever they want, we’ll figure it out. This is our show now. We make the rules.”
Asha nodded, though she didn’t for a second believe him. These were the people who murdered everyone she’d ever known, and left Applegate as a ruined husk. They didn’t seem like the sort who’d be open to negotiations.
Fearing they may recognize her, Cade made Asha wear his clothes, including his jacket with the hood up. He arranged her hair so it hid most of her face. Wearing Cade’s oversized clothes, she didn’t look much like she had when she’d lived at the Cave, and to complete the picture, she smeared dirt on her face.
When they entered Angel’s old rooms, they were met by Leo and Dom, along with three men in black tactical uniforms, not unlike the ones that the three Delta soldiers had. The key difference was that all three of them wore the black masks painted over with gold eyes. Their own eyes weren’t visible, which made the effect that much stranger. They also wore utility belts with portable electronic devices—probably the PIDs that Cade had told her about. She hoped to God that they hadn’t tracked her with them.
The man in the middle of the three also wore a black chest plate with gold painted designs that looked vaguely religious in nature. All three masked men were heavily armed with rifles and shotguns.
The air was tense. A shiver went down Asha’s spine.
“Clyde Owens,” the man with the chest plate said, holding out his hand to Cade, who frowned and didn’t take it. “Chief General of the Order of Odessa. We’d been dealing with Angel, but your men tell me that he met a rather unfortunate end. Is that true, Captain?”
The Order of Odessa.Asha had never heard of them in the Cave before the attack. Whoever organized the insurgency, they’d clearly been able to keep it secret.
Cade bristled at the use of his rank, and Clyde laughed.
“Unclench, Captain, it’s just what they called you at the gate,” he said. “Congratulations on your success. Like Angel was, we hope you’ll be…accommodating of the needs of the Prince of Pain.”
Cade cocked an eyebrow. “The Prince of Pain? Never heard of him.”
There was a hush, almost as though the three men were offended.
“What is it that this ‘Prince’ needs?” Cade asked, crossing his arms.
